Uddhav Thackeray led Shiv Sena continues to abandon its core ideology. In a fresh compromise with the legacy of its founder Balasaheb Thackeray, the party has succumbed to its allies- the NCP and the Congress, by acceding to their demand of 5 per cent quota for Muslims in educational institutions.
Replying to a question asked by MLC Sharad Ranpise in the Legislative Council, NCP leader and Maharashtra Minority Affairs Minister, Nawab Malik said that the Maha Vikas Aghadi coalition will bring a law giving 5 per cent quota to Muslims in educational institutions in the state.
In what further shows how the Udhhav Thackeray led Sena has succumbed to its so-called secular allies, Nawab Malik said on the floor of the House, “Everyone was looking at Shiv Sena in the house, after I made this announcement. Let me assure you, we have the Shiv Sena’s support. The Sena has assured that all social problems faced by backward classes, castes and communities will be resolved and these people will be given justice. When the BJP was in alliance with Sena and was opposing this, the Sena was upholding its value.”
He said, “5% reservation for Muslims in educational institutions can be implemented. A law to that effect will be brought in as soon as possible.”
It must be noted that quota on religious grounds is an old, contentious issue in Maharashtra.
In the year 2014, the NCP-Congress coalition government had announced 14 per cent reservation for the Marathas and 5 per cent reservation for Muslims in educational institutions and government jobs. Though the Bombay High Court had set aside the government notification announcing the quota, it has held that 5 per cent reservation for Muslims in the educational institutions could be given.
However, the BJP-Shiv Sena coalition that had come to power in 2014 had taken a strong stance against the issue of 5 per cent reservation to Muslims in education. It had chosen not to continue with the Muslim reservations arguing that it was not in favour of reservations on the basis of religion.
As such Shiv Sena was a party to the decision to discontinue with the 5 per cent quota to Muslims in educational institutions. However, Sena supremo Udhhav Thackeray has not been able to withstand the vicious assaults on his party’s ideology as megalomania continues to get the better of him.
The Common Minimum Programme between the NCP, Congress and the Shiv Sena after the Maharashtra Assembly polls made it clear that there was no real space for the Hindutva ideology of the Sena that it has been professing ever since the days of its inception.
One of the more objectionable clauses of the Programme was 5 per cent quota to Muslims in education. While the Bombay High Court had decided against quota in government jobs, Nawab Malik had dropped hints at making room for reservation in jobs and also said that the Maha Vikas Aghadi government is seeking legal advice for it.
This move is again to have a miserable impact on other sections of the society in Maharashtra. The state already battles one of the highest reservations in the country and with this move, the total reservation is going to reach 79 per cent far exceeding the apex court-mandated capping of 50 per cent. In government jobs, it will be 75 per cent. An unnecessary and avoidable stress will be caused in Maharashtra’s social fabric and all this is happening right under Uddhav Thackeray’s watch.